Image above shows a grade-school aged child wearing a blue shirt and jeans reaching out to a seated black Labrador dog who is deciding how to answer the child's query of petting her.
Dog bites are preventable through education.
Between 2009 to 2011, over 23,000 dog bites were reported in Los Angeles (Lyu et al., 2016). The majority of these bites occurred for unspecified reasons or during recreational activities, outdoors, and when the dog was off leash.
Almost 400,000 America children receive medical attention for dog bites every year, and most bites are inflicted by a dog that the child knows (Davis et al., 2012). Dog bites are considered to be a serious public health problem by the American Veterinary Medical Association and by the Canada Safety Council.
The “Be A Tree” program is an innovative and interactive program created by the non-profit organization Doggone Safe. Children will learn to read dog body language and how to act safely around dogs by looking at large format photographs and by playing interactive games. The 'Be A Tree' program is unique in its use of several different teaching strategies, its focus on physical activity, and its emphasis on positive messages. Instead of telling children “don’t do this" and "don’t do that”, the 'Be A Tree' program empowers them with the knowledge they need to make safe decisions based on the body language, the actions of the dog, and the situation at hand.
Click below if you are interested in scheduling a workshop for your child, school, library, scout troop, daycare, or community center.
Almost 400,000 America children receive medical attention for dog bites every year, and most bites are inflicted by a dog that the child knows (Davis et al., 2012). Dog bites are considered to be a serious public health problem by the American Veterinary Medical Association and by the Canada Safety Council.
The “Be A Tree” program is an innovative and interactive program created by the non-profit organization Doggone Safe. Children will learn to read dog body language and how to act safely around dogs by looking at large format photographs and by playing interactive games. The 'Be A Tree' program is unique in its use of several different teaching strategies, its focus on physical activity, and its emphasis on positive messages. Instead of telling children “don’t do this" and "don’t do that”, the 'Be A Tree' program empowers them with the knowledge they need to make safe decisions based on the body language, the actions of the dog, and the situation at hand.
Click below if you are interested in scheduling a workshop for your child, school, library, scout troop, daycare, or community center.
References
Davis, A.L., Schwebel, D.C., Morrongiello, B.A., Steward, J., & Bell, M. (2012). Dog bite risk: An assessment of child temperament and child-dog interactions. International Journal of Environments, Research, and Public Health, 9, 3002-3013.
Lyu, C., Jewell, M.P., Piron, J., Ehnert, K., Beeler, E., Swanson, A., Smith, L.V., & Kuo, T. (2016). Burden of bites by dogs and other animals in Los Angeles County, California, 2009-2011. Public Health Reports, 131(6): 800-808.
Lyu, C., Jewell, M.P., Piron, J., Ehnert, K., Beeler, E., Swanson, A., Smith, L.V., & Kuo, T. (2016). Burden of bites by dogs and other animals in Los Angeles County, California, 2009-2011. Public Health Reports, 131(6): 800-808.
